As Indian H-1B workers face a wave of appointment cancellations, more distressing personal stories are emerging. One such case involves a mother caught in an emergency but unable to secure a slot to return to the US.
The woman shared her experience on Reddit. She stated that her Offsite Facilitation Centre (OFC) biometrics were completed smoothly without any issues.
However, her December interview for H-1B renewal was suddenly rescheduled to April 2026. This unexpected delay left her without any immediate legal options to return.
Given the urgency, she applied for an emergency interview. She explained that she needed to return to the US immediately for her baby’s medical treatment.
While the emergency request was approved, the relief was only on paper. When she attempted to book the interview online, no slots were available on the portal.
The H-1B applicant raised multiple tickets and support requests. Each time, she received the same official response asking her to “keep trying.”
This situation is no longer an isolated case. Across India, many H-1B applicants are seeing their interviews pushed well into 2026.
These delays coincide with the rollout of a new ruling mandating social media checks for H-1B and H-4 visas. While OFC appointments continue, interview slots are rapidly disappearing.
Families are being left stranded mid-process. Many risk losing their jobs as employers cannot accommodate delays of five to eight months.
What makes this case especially disturbing is that even with an approved emergency request, a mother remains unable to find a slot. It highlights the growing dysfunction within the US immigration system.
